West Virginia University’s annual welcome back concert, FallFest, will ring in the 2012-13 school year on Monday, Aug. 20 with a lineup featuring one of electronica’s biggest names, Kaskade; British sensations The Wanted; hip-hop star Wale; and alternative rockers Grace Potter and the Nocturnals.

Hip-hop artists Juicy J and Travis Porter will also perform in the Mountainlair Ballrooms. The main stage concert on the Mountainlair Plaza is set to begin at 7 p.m. with the Ballroom show starting at 10 p.m. Event gates will open at 6:30 p.m.

Kaskade—Despite being called the “new face of electronic dance music” by “The New York Times,” Ryan Raddon, known as Kaskade, has been in the trenches of the electronic dance music scene as an original recording artist and in-demand DJ for more than a decade. He has released seven studio albums, including his latest, “Fire & Ice,” which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Dance Chart, No. 3 on the Independent Albums chart, and No. 17 on the Top 200 Albums chart.

Kaskade has also created chart-topping remixes for everyone from Lady Gaga to Beyonc�. Just last month, Kaskade became the first single-DJ spectacle to play the Staples Center in Los Angeles to a sold out crowd. Kaskade is scheduled to perform at 11 p.m.

The Wanted—The British are coming. Known for their monster hit “Glad You Came,” which reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, The Wanted have stomped all over the typical boy band mold and showcased British pop music to the world. The Wanted—Max, Siva, Jay, Tom and Nathan—conquered England with four authentic top five singles and two number ones. They have been viewed 30 million times on YouTube and sold 400,000 copies of their self-titled debut album.

Since their U.S. debut on “Ellen,” their debut release reached No. 7 on the Billboard 200 album chart and their second single “Chasing The Sun” is gaining momentum and airplay across the country. The Wanted is scheduled to perform at 9:40 p.m.

Wale—Washington, D.C.-based rapper Wale has transformed himself from local sensation to national rap contender. Using go-go inspired hip-hop as the vehicle for his lyricism and clever wordplay, Wale got his first airplay with “Rhyme of the Century” in 2003.

His career rose further upon signing with Interscope Records in early 2008. His mixtape release, “The Mixtape about Nothing,” was described by Billboard as showcasing “an unusually clever wordsmith.”

The full-length “Attention Deficit” followed in 2009, which reached No. 3 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and No. 2 on the Billboard Rap Albums chart. The second single from Wale’s album, “Lotus Flower Bomb,” continued his success when it reached No. 1 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Wale has also recorded with some of the industry’s biggest names, including Lady Gaga, T-Pain and Kid Cudi. Wale is scheduled to perform at 8:20 p.m.

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals—Grace Potter and the Nocturnals’ self-made 2005 debut album “Nothing but the Water” revealed a musically sophisticated young band inspired by the music of the late-60s/early-70s.

The follow-up, 2007’s “This Is Somewhere,” confirmed that the band had no interest in following trends but was instead in pursuit of timeless expression as it forged its identity. On 2010’s self-titled third album, “Grace Potter and the Nocturnals” flexed their rock ‘n’ roll muscles and confirmed that they were in it for the long haul. Now, seven years later, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals take an exponential leap with their release “The Lion The Beast The Beat.” Grace Potter and the Nocturnals are scheduled to perform at 7 p.m.

Travis Porter—MCs Ali (Lakeem Mattox), Quez (Donquez Woods) and Strap (Harold Duncan) grew up together in Decatur, Ga. and formed Travis Porter with the hope of taking over the rap world from the underground up.

The irreverent crew began to cultivate a strong Internet presence, releasing videos through its YouTube page and then releasing four mix tapes in 2009. After releasing three more mix tapes in 2010, the members of Travis Porter found themselves being courted by labels hoping to bring them to a larger audience. The group’s debut album, “From Day 1,” reached No. 2 on the Billboard Rap Albums chart. Travis Porter is scheduled to perform in the Mountainlair Ballrooms at 10 p.m.

Juicy J—Together with production partner DJ Paul (Paul Beauregard), Juicy J (Jordan Houston) played an important role in the South’s rise to prominence within the once East- and West Coast-dominated rap industry.

Behind the duo’s leadership, Three 6 Mafia rose from an underground phenomenon in Memphis to a nationally recognized rap empire, spinning off numerous solo albums for the collective’s many members in the 90s. Like his production partner, Juicy J specialized in dark, eerie tracks driven by bass-heavy beats and haunting sounds.

Juicy J and DJ Paul first came together at the dawn of the 90s. The two soon began producing their own tracks locally as Triple 6 Mafia. In 1995, they changed its name to Three 6 Mafia and self-released its debut album, “Mystic Stylez.” The album became an underground success. By the end of the decade, their commercial breakthrough album “When the Smoke Clears” debuted at No. 6 on Billboard’s album chart. Juicy J is scheduled to perform in the Mountainlair Ballrooms at 11 p.m.

FallFest is free to WVU students with valid WVU student IDs. Gates open at 6:30 p.m. (Please note: the Mountainlair will be closed from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.) A special tent will be set up in front of the Mountainlair beginning at 6:30 p.m. to assist WVU students with ID questions.

WVU students are permitted one guest age 17 or older and must obtain a guest ticket at the tent in front of the Mountainlair. Legal beverages will be available to students 21 and older. Alternative beverages and food will also be available.

The PRT will run until 1 a.m. Buses will run between the Mountainlair and Towers until the conclusion of the event, around 1 a.m. Additional gate and traffic information will be released Thursday, Aug. 16.

It is important to note that no purses, backpacks, bags of any kind will be permitted inside the FallFest gates. As an additional safety measure, all concert-goers will be subject to a random security check and wanding before entering the gates.

Set times are approximate and subject to change. This event is produced by WVU Arts & Entertainment. For additional event information, call (304) 293-SHOW or visit events.wvu.edu. Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/wvuevents and follow us on Twitter at @wvuevents for the most up-to-date show information.

-WVU-

dr/08/14/12

CONTACT: David Ryan, WVU Arts & Entertainment
304.293.8222 (Media), 304.293.4406 (Public)

Follow @WVUToday on Twitter.